–updated–
Via Arianna Huffington, Bolton was at the Waldorf with Judy Miller.
Okay, so let me get this straight.
John Bolton will give several interviews to drunken wingnut blogger of Atlas Shrugged, Pam Geller Oshry. Her web bio states that “her publishing career at The New York Daily News and subsequently took over operation of The New York Observer as Associate Publisher.”
That's fine, but I'm a published author, a radio and TV commentator, as well as being an investigative blog reporter. What's Pammy got that I don't? OH, right, conservative credentials.
Bolton will also have breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria with Judith Miller.
But evidently he won't talk to me.
I'll be traveling to New York City in the coming weeks and wanted to interview Ambassador Bolton as part of the biz session of my trip. After all, he's coming up for confirmation and I thought it would be good to get a feel for this man. A couple of friends I spoke to recently thought the same thing. There were suggestions of all types, including some a little too over the top for me, but yesterday I came down to the decision to reach out and seriously see if I could get a one on one.
Through contacts, I was quickly given the Press and Public Affairs Office of Ambassador John Bolton. That's when things stopped dead in their tracks.
A woman answered the phone, wherein I introduced myself, wherein she quickly put me on hold, which is to be expected. Just a few weeks out from his test of whether he can get out of committee, it's understandable that the man's offices are busy. When the woman came back on the phone, she started again.
“As you know… He's very busy. … So he gets a lot of requests,” said the woman.
Fair enough. But why does Bolton have time for Pamela Geller Oshry and Judith Miller, but not for me? It couldn't be because I'm a progressive Democrat could it? After all, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations represents America, not just one side or the other. Besides, it seems if he's going to talk to conservatives, even right-wingers, let alone people like Ms. Pam who fling anti Arab invectives all around, he should extend a similar invitation to people on the other side of the aisle. He can't be scared of us,
now can he? He certainly can't be afraid of me, because he doesn't even know who I am.
I finally got Kathleen's attention, because when she came back on the phone I started peppering her with questions. She wouldn't tell me her last name, but said she's the only Kathleen in the office.
I asked her, since Bolton had given several interviews to Ms. Oshry, why he wouldn't talk to me? Kathleen replied that he hadn't given that many interviews to bloggers. I said I'd be glad to send her the links of Oshry's interviews, one of which took place during peace negotiations between Israel and Lebanon just recently. Then she finally asked me my name and the organization to which I was affiliated. I replied that I was an independent blog reporter. That's when she repeated that Amb. Bolton gets many requests, so she “doubts if it's possible.”
No one is surprised by that answer.
As far as I can tell, Bolton has interviewed with one blog, and that is Atlas Shrugs, which Bolton considers a “news publication” and whose author he considers a “journalist.” Here's what Atlas Shrugs has to say about Islam: “the Quran, is a document of exclusion, hatred and violence that shapes the Muslim's thinking and behaving. This stone-age document is optimally suited for people of stunted development.”
That's not offensive enough? How about this: “All the excuses, grievances and reasons given for savagery of the jihadists and Islamofascists are side issues. It is Islam, dummy. It is Islam itself. Get it?”
Inquiring minds want to know why Bolton granted Pamela Oshry an exclusive interview, elevating her from the most obscure and lunatic corner of the blogosphere into the public eye. Ambassador Bolton, are these your beliefs too, or did you sit for this interview because it would rile up the base and help your confirmation chances? Senators, citizens, and the international community will want to know.
Question for Bolton: Is Islam the Enemy?
I kept on.
Did Amb. Bolton only do interviews with conservatives and right-wing bloggers?
“I don't know,” said Kathleen.
What about the interview with Ms. Oshry? It was given the Saturday when peace negotiations were trying to solidified a ceasefire, what other interviews did he give that day?
“I don't know,” she said again. Then she said something about scheduling not being her job.
Here's a reminder of just who Ms. Oshry is…
I wasn't trying to be testy with Kathleen, who was only doing her job, but bear in mind that Kathleen, at the behest of Ambassador Bolton's press office, was keeping me from doing mine.
Then she asked what would be the scope of the interview. I told her that I wanted to talk about his confirmation hearings coming up. I told her I wanted to talk about the U.N. and U.S. role in the Israeli – Lebanon war, as well as how Amb. Bolton felt about our larger role in the Middle East. She said, “So you want a general interview?”
Well, I couldn't very well tell her that I wanted to know why Ms. Oshry and Ms. Miller passed the test, but Ms. Marsh did not. Why Amb. Bolton chose to be interviewed by a right-wing hack who despises all things that can actually help the U.S. regain our honest broker status.
Kathleen will put me on the list.
Geez, you'd think I was asking Bolton to buy me breakfast at the Waldorf.
I'll let you know if I hear from Bolton's office, but so far the phone hasn't
rung.
…by the way, let me add something… When I spoke with Kathleen, I was trying to reach either Richard Grennel or Ben Chang. That's when we got into the back and forth question and non-answer session. She had no intention of getting me to Richard or Ben. I'll try again next week and will keep you posted.
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